Strategic autonomy required for EU's future: former Slovenian president

Former Slovenian President Danilo Turk said on Sunday that strategic autonomy may become a requirement for the European Union (EU) in the future and that the bloc needs to recalibrate its relations with both China and the United States.

Turk was speaking about the increasing need for the EU to assume greater responsibility for its own well-being and security amid fraying relations with the United States, in an interview with the China Media Group on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Germany.

He believes that Europe needs to move toward closer ties with China in the years to come.

"Strategic autonomy may become a requirement for European Union in the future. There is going to be a redefinition of relations between European Union and the United States of America. And I think that in the context of strategic autonomy, there will be a very intense need for European Union to look into its relations with China from a new perspective. And I believe that that is going to happen in the coming years. This is not something that can happen tomorrow, but let's say in the next year and the years later, it may be a major theme for both sides to discuss," Turk said.

This year's MSC ran from Friday to Sunday amid intense trade frictions, shifting security commitments, and diminished trust between the EU and the U.S.

European leaders present at the gathering on Saturday called for greater strategic autonomy, reflecting their growing anxieties over a fractured international order and a widening rift in transatlantic relations.

The Munich Security Report 2026 describes the current era as one of the "wrecking-ball politics", saying political forces favoring destruction over reform are gaining momentum across many Western societies, driven by disenchantment with the performance of democratic institutions and a loss of trust in political course correction.

Strategic autonomy required for EU's future: former Slovenian president

Strategic autonomy required for EU's future: former Slovenian president

African officials on Wednesday pledged to scale up investment to accelerate development across the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a meeting in Accra, Ghana's capital.

They made the commitment during the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), where leaders highlighted the need to expand the bank's capital base to finance transformative projects.

Ghanaian Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson stressed that timely capital payments would strengthen EBID's leverage and sustain its growth, enabling the institution to stimulate inclusive economic expansion across the region.

"Timely capital payments are critical. It strengthens EBID leverage and sustains its growth and impact across our region. Expanding our capital base is essential to strengthen our ability to finance transformative development projects and stimulate inclusive economic growth among our member states," said Forson.

EBID recorded strong achievements in 2025, with total disbursements of about 722 million U.S. dollars, up 47.7 percent from 2024. Building on that momentum, President George Agyekum Donkor said the bank remains committed to helping member states tackle poverty and close infrastructure gaps across the region.

"We aim to direct at least 63 percent of new commitments towards the private enterprises to catalyze job creation and innovation. Simultaneously, the bank would embed environmental, social and governance principles across its operations, dedicating over 41 percent of resources to climate mitigation and social inclusion projects," said Donkor.

With disbursements surging nearly 48 percent last year, EBID officials said the bank is positioned to channel more resources into private-sector growth and climate-focused projects, reinforcing its role as a driver of inclusive development across West Africa.

African officials vow stronger investment push at ECOWAS bank meeting in Accra